Pants with built-in knee pads

ABSTRACT

Pants with built-in knee pads provide hidden pockets with pads which may be removed when the pants are laundered. One hidden pocket is provided in the knee of each pants leg. Clearance is provided for pads in the hidden pockets in the event of fabric shrinkage when the pants are laundered. Each hidden pocket extends 3 inches above the knee, to allow pad clearance of 2 inches above the knee and 1 inch for hook-and-loop fasteners to secure the upper opening of the hidden pocket where the pad is inserted, and descends 12 inches below the knee to allow upward adjustment of the pants when kneeling. The upper opening extends from the inseam to the outer seam of the leg.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/167,657, filed May 28, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to multi-purpose garments and in particular to pants with built-in knee pads. For plumbers, mechanics, flooring installers, roofers, and certain other types of craftsmen, working for an extended period while kneeling is part of the job. Wearing kneepads over the outer surface of the pants has become customary, but these are cumbersome and unattractive.

A search of the prior art reveals various pants which have been developed to provide removable knee pads for users in various situations. None are closely related to the present invention, but several include features which resemble those of the present invention. Each has proven to be less than satisfactory in its own way. Generally, each of the prior art inventions is not fashionable and impractical to wear after work. The present invention has been developed for the purpose of addressing and resolving these disadvantages.

Infant pants having knee pockets and replaceable knee pads, U.S. Pat. No. 7,089,598 (priority Sep. 18, 2003), provides an apparatus for infant pants having knee pads permanently or removably mounted to an inner surface of the pants or to an infant pants inner liner. The infant pants or pants liner have internal pocket panels that extend substantially horizontally from seam to seam and are sewn by vertical, substantially parallel stitching to define generally rectangular pad pockets of desired dimensions with upwardly facing pocket openings. The pockets have retainer panels to secure a replaceable protective pad within the pad pocket. The pants have replaceable protective knee pads that are removably contained within the internal knee pockets to provide protection for crawling infants against bruises and abrasion of the knees during crawling activity.

Knee pads for work pants, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,333 (filed May. 7, 1998), provides a resilient, flat closed-cell knee pad is rolled and inserted through a gap in a seam attaching edges of a patch to the knee area of a work pant. The knee pad then unrolls and fills a space between the work pant and the patch thereby protecting a wearer's knee when kneeling.

Work pants equipped with detachable knee protection pads, U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. US2008/0289072 (filed May 21, 2007), provides work pants equipped with knee protection pads is provided. Four male clip buttons are placed on each leg member of the pants surrounding knee contacting portion of the work pants to avoid contact with knees when a wearer of the work pants kneel down. The knee protection pads are equipped with four female clip buttons on the pad that receive the four male button clips on the pants. The knee protection pads are easy to detach from the work pants to wash the pants and pads separately. Objects such as wood chips, soil, nails, etc., get inserted between the pants and pads are easily removed by detaching the pad and sweeping them out.

Knee pads for work pants, U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,991 (filed Dec. 19, 1985), provides a pair of fabric work pants particularly designed for kneeling work activity has removable leather patches covering the knee area and a depending portion of each pant leg. Containment spaces are formed between the patches and the underlying fabric for holding padding material for protection of the user's knees. Leather utility pockets are also shown for the pants. The leather patches and the utility pockets are releasably attached to the work pants to facilitate laundering of the underlying fabric garment without damaging the leather. A further comfort feature of the pants comprises a fabric insert in the nature of a crotch gusset.

Safety pants with removable knee pads, U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,398 (filed Jun. 6, 2003), provides safety pants with removable knee pads for providing a user with a pair of pants that would incorporate pockets which could house knee protection. The safety pants with removable knee pads include a pair of pants. The pants have a lower torso portion and two legs. Each of the legs has a front knee portion. Each one of a pair of pads has a size designed for covering one of the front knee areas. Each one of the pads provides a cushioning between a horizontal support surface and knees of a user when the user is in a kneeling position. A fastening assembly is for fastening each one of the pair of pads to an associated one of the legs for covering the knees of a user.

Knee pad trousers, Chinese Patent No. CN202407122 (filed Jan. 9, 2012), provides a pair of knee pad trousers, which comprises a trousers body and is characterized in that pocket bodies are arranged on the trousers body, zippers are arranged at opening parts of the pocket bodies, and dismountable knee pads are arranged inside the pocket bodies. The knee pad trousers adopting the technical scheme have the following beneficial effects that the structure is simple, the use is convenient, the attractive appearance of the trousers body is ensured, and meanwhile, the knees are protected.

A pair of pants which is stylish and provides hands-free concealed knee padding, would be well received. Pants with built-in knee pads, providing hidden pockets with pads which may be removed when the pants are laundered, would resolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to pants with built-in knee pads. The pants provide hidden pockets with pads which may be removed when the pants are laundered. One hidden pocket is provided in the knee of each pants leg. Clearance is provided for pads in the hidden pockets in the event of fabric shrinkage when the pants are laundered. Each hidden pocket extends 3 inches above the knee, to allow pad clearance of 2 inches above the knee and 1 inch for hook-and-loop fasteners to secure the upper opening of the hidden pocket where the pad is inserted, and descends 12 inches below the knee to allow upward adjustment of the pants when kneeling. The upper opening extends from the inseam to the outer seam of the leg.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is included to provide a further understanding of the invention and is incorporated into and constitutes a part of the specification. It illustrates one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

The figure shows a front transparency view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the pants 10, the legs 11, the hidden pockets 12, and the pads 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to pants 10 with built-in knee pads 13.

The first exemplary embodiment is comprised of pants 10 in a cargo pants style, which provide hidden pockets 12 with pads 13 which may be removed when the pants 10 are laundered. One hidden pocket 12 and pad 13 is provided in the knee area 30 of each pants leg 11. Alternate embodiments, wherein the pants 10 are provided in a jeans style, khakis style, or some other casual, durable style, are contemplated. Since the user will be kneeling for extended periods of time while wearing the pants 10, any alternate embodiment must be manufactured and styled for durability and comfort, such that more formal styles may not be appropriate.

Clearance is provided for pads 13 in the hidden pockets 12 in the event of fabric shrinkage when the pants 10 are laundered. Each hidden pocket 13 extends 3 inches above the knee area 30, to allow pad clearance of 2 inches above the knee and 1 inch for hook-and-loop fasteners 31 to secure the upper opening 32 of the hidden pocket 12 where the pad 13 is inserted, and descends 12 inches below the knee area 30 to allow upward adjustment of the pants 10 when kneeling. The upper opening 32 extends from the inseam 33 to the outer seam 34 of the leg 11.

The pad 13 is preferably no more than 0.5 inch thick to maintain a uniform appearance and provide long term comfort when kneeling. The pad 13 provide a degree of flexibility with the movement of bending the knee, and provides a gently curved shape such that the knee area does not look bulged from the sides of the hidden pocket 12. The pants 10 are provided in a broad range of sizes, including big and tall men's sizes, and in a variety of colors. Each pad 13 is preferably treated with a chemical which retards the growth of mildew and other fungi, due to the risk of a user unintentionally leaving the pad 13 in the hidden pocket 12 while the pants 10 are being laundered.

To use the first exemplary embodiment, the user inserts the pads 13 into the hidden pockets 12, secures the openings 32 of the hidden pockets 12 with the hook-and-loop fasteners 31 which are provided, and wears the pants 10. When the pants 10 need to be laundered, the user opens the hook-and-loop fasteners, and removes the pads 13 from the hidden pockets 12.

The pants 10 are preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable fabric which is machine washable, such as cotton, a cotton-polyester blend, or a cotton-rayon blend. The pads 13 are preferably manufactured from a flexible, durable material such as foam rubber.

Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. Pants with built-in knee pads, comprising: pants having legs; each leg providing an inseam and an outer seam; each leg providing a hidden pocket; said hidden pocket being located around a knee area of the leg and having an opening at an upper end on the interior of the pants; said opening providing a fastener for securing the opening in a closed position; a pad is provided in each hidden pocket.
 2. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein the pants are provided in a cargo pants style.
 3. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein the pants are manufactured from jeans, khakis, or some other casual, durable material.
 4. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 2, wherein the pants are manufactured from jeans, khakis, or some other casual, durable material.
 5. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein said pads have smaller dimensions than said hidden pockets such that extra space is provided around the pads within the hidden pockets.
 6. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein each hidden pocket extends three inches above the knee area such that the hidden pocket has clearance of two inches above the knee area and one inch for fasteners to secure the upper opening of the hidden pocket where the pad is inserted; each hidden pocket descends twelve inches below the knee area to allow upward adjustment of the pants when kneeling.
 7. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein the upper opening extends from pants inseam to the outer seam of said pants leg.
 8. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein the pad is preferably no more than half an inch thick such that the pads are not visible from an exterior view of the pants.
 9. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein the pads flexible and provide a gently curved shape.
 10. The pants with built in knee pads of claim 1, wherein each pad is treated with a chemical which retards growth of mildew and other fungi. 